Courtesy: The FA.com


Futsal for all

Tuesday, 09 August, 2011

Brent school hosts futsal referee course for Asian and Muslim women.

The Referee Diversity Action Group ran a positive action futsal referee training course at Preston Manor High School in Brent last month, aimed mainly at Asian and Muslim women.

The newly formed group will be pursuing a number of key objectives over the new season ranging from implementing strategies to recruit, select and retain referees from diverse backgrounds, to undertaking and marketing projects across County Football Associations that demonstrate good practise in equality of opportunities in refereeing.

The small-sided game is a popular choice amongst Asian and Muslim women, and it was through the work of the group that the need to recruit more futsal referees to support the development of the small sided game in this area, was identified.

Eighteen women attended the training course that was tutored and facilitated by Ms Lorraine Deschamps, who is a level 5 referee and supported at a County level by Middlesex FAs Charlotte Edwards. The Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation also played a key role in indentifying participants to attend the course. All the women successfully passed the basic futsal referee course and will be certificated in due course.

Roger Vaughan FA National Referee Manager said: ”This is a really good success story and an example of good practice of where a clearly defined equality strategy can positively meet the needs of the wider community and assist The FAs Referee Department, in recruiting in this case, 18 new referees into the game.”

Ms Deschamps continued: “All the ladies thoroughly enjoyed the course and learnt a great deal about the theoretical and practical aspects of the game.”

“This is one of a number of key initiatives which will assist in widening the talent pool within the referee workforce and encourage others to “Get into Refereeing," added The FA's Equality Co-ordinator Jonathan Mills.

If you would like to know more about the group and its activities, contact roger.vaughan@thefa.com or jonathan.mills@thefa.com




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com